I have written some supplementary material to accompany the “Just Walk Across the Room” material that my church is using to get people to evangelize.

“Why do you go to church every week?” a friend once asked me. For some of my friends, they only visit their temples when it’s Chinese New Year or when they need blessings for one reason or the other. Another way to phrase their question is, “What is so great about church that you have to take 3 hours off your precious weekend after a long week of work, when you could be sleeping in?”

For some of Christians, we have been programmed to wake up every Sunday morning to make it to church already. Or maybe our parents drag us out of bed to go to church. Or there’s this person you’re hoping to network with to develop your career. And of course, maybe there’s an attractive girl in church you’d always wanted to chat up. What if someone asked us that question, what will our response be? Will we take that opportunity to share how great a Saviour we have in Jesus Christ? Or will we choose to maintain “religious harmony” and quickly change the subject? Scripture is very clear to us from Mark 16:15-16,

15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

This command to the disciples from Jesus is very applicable to us today. As long as someone hasn’t heard the good news would mean that the good news still can be spread. “Go… and preach” is an instruction for us to be the one who actively seeks to share.

There are 2 reasons which we should share the gospel with the lost.

1. Because we love God

8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 1 Cor 5:8-9

Christians are God’s people, and our lives should be shaped by God’s priorities. 1 Tim 2:4 tells us that God “who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Since this pleases God we should be actively sharing the good news to everyone, especially non-Christians. And sharing the good news is also an instruction of Jesus from Mark 16:15. Hence I believe one aspect of a true disciple of Jesus is to share the gospel. We should try to seek out opportunities to do share. If all our friends are Christians, then make new friends.

2. Because we love those around us

I remember in the movie Titanic, before the ship set out for its final voyage, there was this man with a huge sign walking around, asking the people to repent from their sins to escape hell.

Hell is a real place, and Mark 16:16 tells us that hell awaits those who do not believe in Jesus. I believe the reality of hell is not just for us to tell our non-believing friends where they’ll be going, but also to motivate us to point them the way to eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Our role is not to make sure our friends believe, for we have no control over their faith. Our role is to go and share the gospel. If they believe, then we help them to grow in their faith. If they don’t, we can keep praying that God would open their hearts and minds to the gospel.

Conclusion

God has shown us His love for us by sending His Son to take the punishment of death for our sins. We never deserved it, nor can never earn it. What is left for us is to respond in gratefulness to His loving grace and live to please Him.

Sharing the good news then should be one of our priorities as a Christian. We know the judgment that will befall on our friends if no one shares the gospel with them, a matter of eternal consequence.

BY NICOLAS WONG

Summit 2010 which was held in Malacca, is the fifteenth organised by the Love Singapore movement  since its inception in 1995.  There were over 400 participants from various churches and Christian organisations. And for the first time, we have 67 representatives from 17 Chinese-speaking congregations in attendance.

After a 7-year hiatus, Rev Lawrence Khong announced that he felt led by the Lord to head this movement as the chairman, thus taking over the rein from Rev Rick Seaward. With much conviction and compassion he shared in the new vision of the Love Singapore movement.

A passion to see the community in Singapore transformed via prayer, planting cells and organising  harvest events by 2015. The strategy is to serve the communities through the 7 gates of influence. The 7 “gates of influence” are:  Arts & Entertainment; Business, Science & Technology; Communications & Media; Disadvantaged & Marginalised; Education & School;  Family & Home; Government & Leadership.  God willing, part of the vision includes replicating this strategy of community transformation  in other nations.

Pastor Kenny, Pastor Thomas and myself shared the view that this new vision casting stirred up much excitement amongst the participants as each organization feels that they can have ownership of this broader, practical and more inclusive vision in fulfilling the Lord’s Great Commission.

(Reported by Pastor Mary Tham)

At the recent strategic planning retreat, the BOE, pastors and senior leaders felt resonance and assurance about the idea of integrating the youth and adult services. This paper is to elaborate the idea and act as starting point for feedback and input.

The goal:

To develop one strong, inter-generational worship service in which to glorify God and to grow together.

The advantages:

The excitement and synergy of the combined service: a larger crowd matching the energy of the teens with the stability of the adults gives a balanced mix that can help the church grow spiritually and numerically.

Intentional intergenerational learning, relationships and trust can best take place if both generations are together often.

Bypasses the tricky transit of youths into the main service, a hurdle in many churches which results in youth leaving church (See Leadership Journal online article titled, “Is the era of age segregation over?”).

More effective use of our church resources (musicians, technicians, time, space) which are currently stretched.

The criteria for successful integration:

The combined worship service have to be changed from what it is now. The changes will accomodate the teenagers and young adults, and assume that the adult has the grace and generosity to embrace the unfamiliar, eg.music style.

The youths will partner the adults and be significantly involved in the whole worship service and Sunday experience.

Inter-generational learning and interaction has to be intentional and not left to chance. Teaming up in music, worship leading, altar prayer, ushering, catering, prayer leading, etc.

The youths will still have a platform outside the integrated service where their group identity is nurtured. (See the below table “Youth ministry functions and activities after integration”)

Concerns

The youths may feel a loss of group identity.

The youths may have less avenues of service as grown-ups dominate and if there are opportunities, may feel intimidated or inferior.

The youths may not be satisfied with changes made to music style, sermon relevancy, and the presence of parents.

We will take seriously the feedback of the youth and though we cannot fully satisfy everyone in everything, we will do what we can even as we do what is best for all concerned.

The preparation leading to the integration(in Aug 2010):

October- December 2009:

Communicate with Youth exco and youth cell leaders and consider their input. Communicate with the CLT how the Lord is guiding the leadership about this and consider their input. Merge English Adult and Youth worship ex-cos into a joint core group and begin team building.

January to July 2010:

The whole January 2010 will be combined services and sermons will focus on the kind of disciple we want to build and how we are going to build them. We will start tweaking the service with a view to integration.

In the first Sunday of February, we will communicate with the whole church the plan to integrate the service and prepare them for the August launch.

The joint worship ex-co will work together to redesign the combined worship services to accomodate the youths and young adults(every first Sunday, the March school vacation, the June school vacation will be combined services where we fine-tune the various aspects of the integrated worship service). The services will be evaluated, with feedback and dialogue with the lower and upper secondary students. We will make  necessary adjustments before the full launch in August 2010.

August 2010:

Integrated Worship Service launched. From here on all the Sunday services will be combined Youth-Adult English.

Kenny Chee

22 October 2009

Pavit and a variety of board games!

Samuel & Liyang – 2 new freinds that joined us

Youths immersing themselves in their games

“I won!” declares Jean

One of the youths’ favourite games – “Strategy” game”

Anna and friends at play!

Joyful  worship at camp

Ps Chua speaking to a captivated group

Games time at the beach and the campsite ..

Campers in worship workshop .. WORD preparation workshop … Events workshop  

Campers having fun and bonding time